THE ACADEMY OF PREACHING AND CELEBRATION

The Center for Pastoral Excellence THE ACADEMY OF PREACHING AND CELEBRATION Frank A. Thomas

The Center for Pastoral Excellence at Christian Theological Seminary hosts five initiatives that address the long arc of ministry from vocational discernment to seminary training to sustaining outstanding ministers in their ongoing work. A comprehensive and lifelong approach to pastoral education. Matthew Myer Boulton

Pastoral Excellence Network The Center for Pastoral Excellence The Discipleship Project Lilly Endowment Programs for Clergy Renewal New Media Project The Academy of Preaching and Celebration

THE ACADEMY OF PREACHING AND CELEBRATION Why Why does a thing exist? And why should anyone care? How The unique core values, beliefs, and processes that bring our Why to life. What The programs and services we deliver to people. Adapted from Simon Sinek s Start With Why

WHY WOULD CTS CREATE The Academy of Preaching and Celebration? Why African American preaching is central to a national preaching renaissance: o Preaching rarely consulted in public discourse outside the church; o Preaching inside the church overly influenced by mores and styles of popular television preachers;

WHY WOULD CTS CREATE The Academy of Preaching and Celebration? Why African American preaching is central to a national preaching renaissance: o Develop premier scholarship program in African American preaching; o Create the definitive repository of African American preaching;

WHY WOULD CTS CREATE The Academy of Preaching and Celebration? Why African American preaching is central to a national preaching renaissance: o Provide opportunities for professional development and continuing education; o Position CTS as one of the leading institutions for the study of Christian preaching and worship.

WHY SHOULD THIS PROGRAM EXIST? And why should anyone care? Why The Academy of Preaching and Celebration exists to generate excellence in preaching and worship by exploring the genius of the African American tradition to transform the church and world through deepened faith and biblical practice.

OUR UNIQUE CORE VALUES: How Passionate pursuit of creative and relevant sermonic forms that offer hope; Organic concern that preaching happens in the context of worship; Purposeful use of technology and media to deliver preaching across multiple platforms;

OUR UNIQUE CORE VALUES: How Inclusive African American preaching tradition in dialogue with Euro-American and other traditions, open to all; Passionate connection to church and academy (scholar-practitioners); Inclusive of preaching traditions of Africa and the African Diaspora across the globe;

OUR UNIQUE CORE VALUES: How Honor and respect the multiplicity of African American preaching traditions within and external to the Christian faith; Application of rhetorical/theological/homiletical insight to generate highest level of performance in preaching.

THREE PILLARS OF THE PROJECT F I R S T P I L L A R Applied Performance Dr. Frank A. Thomas apply academic rhetorical/preaching insight to generate highest level of performance in preaching. S E C O N D P I L L A R Prophetic Preaching Dr. Alan Boesak, Desmond Tutu chair develop the first track in prophetic preaching and links to prophetic preaching traditions of Africa, the African Diaspora, and global community. T H I R D P I L L A R Family Ministry Dr. Joyce Thomas train and develop the awareness and practice of balance between congregational life and family life. Adapted from Simon Sinek s Start With Why

APPLIED PERFORMANCE What Offer a PhD program in African American preaching and sacred rhetoric; Create an archive and repository of the very best of African American preaching and sacred rhetoric; Research and publish projects digital homiletics series With WJK as an example of research and publishing;

APPLIED PERFORMANCE What Professional development workshops on preaching and worship for working pastors and lay leaders; Special programs for CTS students course modules on specific preaching and worship skills bringing together students and seasoned practitioners; Annual preaching/worship festivals for the general public when choirs and preachers can gather to celebrate.

PROPHETIC PREACHING What Host one major academic conference each year, drawing together scholars from both academy and church; Establish and lead the first ever prophetic preaching track; Connect to the global preaching community, particularly in the African Diaspora and South Africa.

FAMILY MINISTRY What Offer individual and group coaching services to spouses and clergy around issues of balance in ministry; Develop classes, workshops, etc. to highlight clergy and spousal strategies for balance; Develop community-based clergy spouse support groups.

THE ACADEMY OF PREACHING AND CELEBRATION Who Who is the target audience for The Academy of Preaching and Celebration? When What is the programming timeline for first year of the Project? Result What does success look like? How will we evaluate success? Adapted from Simon Sinek s Start With Why

THE ACADEMY OF PREACHING AND CELEBRATION Who Who is the target audience for The Academy of Preaching and Celebration? When What is the programming timeline for first year of the Project?. Result What does success look like? How will we evaluate success? Adapted from Simon Sinek s Start With Why

TARGET AUDIENCE Who Community Clergy seminary and nonseminary trained, interested in continuing education and skill development; Seminary Students CTS and others who have interest in African American preaching at Master s and Doctoral levels;

TARGET AUDIENCE Who Clergy Family clergy spouse and family members interested in preserving balance between family life and ministry; National/Global Justice Partners national and global partners interested in the link between prophetic preaching and activism.

PROGRAMMING TIMELINE Initial Planning and Networking When While the first year of The Academy of Preaching and Celebration is dedicated to research and to further definition of our initial concept proposal, in this initial startup period we have been able to accomplish the following:

PROGRAMMING TIMELINE Initial Planning and Networking When Worked with PhD Task Force of the CTS faculty in the development of a report and concept proposal for a PhD program in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric. Report was unanimously approved by the faculty and referred to the Academic Council for further study and consideration;

PROGRAMMING TIMELINE Initial Planning and Networking When Planned soft launch of The Academy of Preaching and Celebration to CTS community (Trustees, Faculty, and Alumni) and African American pastors and community, with initial presentation and materials.

PROGRAMMING TIMELINE for the First Year of the Project When Family Ministry Track will offer a winter course on balance in ministry and begin a support group for Pastor s spouses; Prophetic Preaching Track will offer winter course on prophetic preaching and develop prophetic preaching track;

PROGRAMMING TIMELINE for the First Year of the Project The Project will also plan to offer in 2014: When o Preaching Method Conference, Spring 2014; o Two Consultations relative to the development of a PhD program in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE IN THIS FIRST PHASE? Result Final concept proposal and hard launch Sept. 2014; Input, buy-in, and support of CTS faculty, community, and African American pastors.

WHAT RESULTS WOULD SUCCESS PRODUCE IN THE CHURCH? Congregational Well-being Result o Preaching Renaissance o Balanced Clergy o Deepened faith and Biblical practice

SYNOPSIS Project Program Applied Performance Prophetic Preaching Family Ministry Target Audience Community Clergy Seminary Students Clergy Family National/Global Justice Partners Congregational Well-being Preaching Renaissance Balanced Clergy Deepened faith and Biblical practice Adapted from Simon Sinek s Start With Why